


Wonder if They'll See Right Through Me?

by VelwritesTrash



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Development, Developing Friendships, Drug Use, Eventual Romance, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of Crying, Lots of backstory, Polyamory, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-09-24 15:56:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20361178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VelwritesTrash/pseuds/VelwritesTrash
Summary: Nora, a young adult who had to drop out of university to take care of her baby brother Shaun. She hates it. She doesn't know what's worse. That her world was ending or that her brother who she never wanted came into her life. Eventually, her world did end. Also, her brother might be dead. Overwhelmed by guilt, Nora pursues into the harsh wasteland for an answer and the seeking of redemption.





	Wonder if They'll See Right Through Me?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. This is my first ever story I've written. I just love reading the Fallout fanfics, and wanted to put my spin on it. Changed a bit of the canon with Nora being a sister to her younger brother Shaun.

"Motherhood," said the young adult in a disgusted tone as she looked at her facial features in the bathroom mirror. Never would she had seen herself be a mother at the age of nineteen. The life of a housewife wasn't for her, and it certainly will never be. Whether she accepted it or not, her mother was dead. The mention of the maternal figure brought a winded sigh that scarcely escaped the young lady. 

"Well, this was one way to start my second year of university," yawned out by Nora. Making her way out of the bathroom, she checked in to see her baby brother Shaun in the nursery room. Walking towards the crib that laid the hellspawn, he softly babbled around his surroundings. Once he laid his eyes on Nora he started to cry out from her sudden appearance. The girl stared back at the sibling with a neutral expression. No affection for the boy came from her as she brought Shaun to her arms as a concerning mother would. She sat down on the chair, and shush him back into slumber. The disdain of having a sibling to look after brought a feeling of sadness and anger. Tolerance is what all she has from losing her mind. 

Dropping out of university left her miserable as it were the only source of productivity she made at the time. It barely began the new chapter in her life of self-improvement, but these months have been cruel to her. Now, she was alone in the house with the infant for the majority of the time. Given that this wasn't her decision. Her father working throughout the day can't watch over the infant, and her older military brother Alan, who was at war obviously couldn't. Nora just had to accept the role of caretaker. Shaun messed everything up. For her, it's like as if her world was ending.

"Why did you do this to me Shaun," asked Nora as the child slowly succumb to another nap. Carefully caressing the child, she guided her hand towards the face. Shaun slept soundly again with a slight dribble coming out of his mouth. Lightly tapping the saliva away, Nora ran a circling motion towards the baby's head. Once she stopped the movement, her thumb rested on the soft spot of the infant's skull. Yes, ...that spot. 

She then hesitatingly proceeded to press down with the slightest of pressure on the infant. The baby flutters its eyes at the slight sensation. 

"Oh Shaun," Nora said upsettingly. 

"How easy it can be for me to just end-," her dreadful sentence stopped there as the doorbell rang. Nora sat there in chilling suspense as if she were caught in a horrendous act by an onlooker. Well, what she was doing could be seen as heinous. For a long minute, she waited, only to end up sighing as the obnoxious ringing kept on persisting. 

Putting the child back in the crib, she gave one last sorrowful look at the child as made her way toward the door. With a glance out the living room window, she spots a van from Vault-Tec. 

"Damn," Nora silently mouthed. It's that Vault-Tec guy who keeps bothering.  _He's now coming around this time of the day, _ Nora wondered. It would usually be later in the day when her father would be at the house. Did they find out that there was another person in the household to contact? Whatever they are here for, Nora just wants them to leave.

Waiting by the door, Nora put her ear towards the door to hear the shuffle of steps.  _Did he already leave? If he did, might as well check the window._ This proved to be a terrible mistake on her part as the salesman gleefully step-sided by the window. Nora's heart jolted at the jumpscare.  _This man will not give up, _ Nora sheepishly thought. The man hand motion toward the door with a pleading look. Nora looked on dumbfounded at what was happening to her.  _This... isn't right. Just tell him to leave, _ Nora considered. Readjusting her glasses, she motions the man that she will get the door. 

"Alright, Nora," she breathed out. Realizing this is her first social conversation with anyone outside in a long while. She hopes that the man wouldn't see her nervousness, and use it to his advantage in whatever he wanted to sell. Mustering up the best smile she could as the girl swung the door wide open she greeted.

"Hello, there sir," Nora said. "Sorry, if I didn't get the door in time. I was expecting my relatives, not at this time," she explained in the hope, her lie was convincing.

"Oh, not at all miss," said the man with a dismissed wave. "A young lady like yourself should always be cautious at who's knocking. It's only Vault-Tec who's calling."

"Well sir, whatever it is your selling, I'm not interested," she firmly stated.  _Keep denying Nora. Surely, he will give up. _ Her hand still on the doorknob as she slightly kept closing the distance she had with the salesman.

"Oh, no worries at all. I'm not selling anything as of right now. You just don't know how happy I am to speak with you. After all, it's a matter of urgency. I assure you."

"Um... urgency," questioned Nora.  _Surely he emphasized that, but it's better to be safe than sorry. _

"Now I know you're a busy fellow, so I won't take up much of your time. With time being a... um, precious commodity."

That comment took Nora slightly aback. She saw the man adjust himself from that cryptic comment to continue on.

"I'm here today to tell you. That because of your family's service to our country. You and your family have been pre-selected to the local vault. Vault 111!" The man said in awe as he motioned his hands in a standing ovation.

Okay... she did not expect that. Now, Nora was taken way back by that comment. Throwing out her recent strategy, she opens the door wide again to get a better hearing. 

"Wait! For real," she asked shockingly.  _No Nora, this sounds like a setup. What if this guy isn't from Vault-Tec, _ she wondered as the many other questions zipped through her head. 

"I mean, is there even enough space? I'm sorry, but that sounds unlikely?"

"Why yes, there is enough space for your family in the vaults as they have been already reserved. We just need to verify some information. To make sure that you're clear for entrance for the unforeseen event of-he coughed slightly at the next few words- total atomic annihilation," he assured.

This went on for a couple of minutes as Nora insisted he explains more for her understanding. Answering all of her questions, she was certified by the salesman that the offer is not fake.  _Would Dad be okay with me signing away, _ Nora wondered. Does it matter? She was of legal age to sign, but her lack of experience was getting in the way.  _It's a free offer, nothing of it Nora. You have to start being an adult about this anyway. _ The overthinking wasn't helping with making the decision more difficult.

"Yes, I'll sign the papers."

The process of signing was quite easy until it was other information that she didn't know. Her social security card wasn't something she can recall from the top of her head. An embarrassing five minutes of excusing herself as she went rummaging through her father's nightstand for the records. Once, she obtained it, the rest of the signing was completed. The man gave her a tip of his hat and went on his merry way. 

"Well, that went... well," Nora assumed.  _ No. That did not go well at all. I should've known my security information dammit. Great, another memory to worry about over nothing? _ Why does she do this to herself? Nora sighed at her internal conflict, she just wanted out of the house. Staying inside for too long has been leaving her left alone with her thoughts. Those thoughts tend to be mundane until they spiral out of control. Then, she finds herself crying at what fool she has been.

"Maybe a trip to the park can help," quipped the young adult as she convinced herself about the idea. This put on a smile on her face. The mood lasting for a second as Shaun cried from the other room.

"Oh, what do you want now Shaun," annoyingly asked Nora. Stomping her way to the sibling, she activated the mechanical crib mobile which didn't do anything to quiet the boy. 

"Fine. Have it your way then." Nora picked up the infant in one hand and made her way to the kitchen for his bottle. Before starting, she grabbed the remote to turn on the television for the news. Her mind wandered from there about how her father's speech he was about to give to the veterans. She hoped for the best for her father. Maybe she should make jello as a gift for congratulations. 

Shaun was just looking around his view of the spectacle. Once, Nora was screwing on the lid of the bottle, the T.V started going static. She ignored this until she heard the operator to please stand by for an emergency announcement. Whiplashing her head, she scurried to the living room. Shaun, who was suckling the warm milk, sat down with as Nora cradled him. Peering her eyes to the silver screen, what came out from the announcer left her speechless. 

"Sounds of explosions..."

"... nuclear detonations in New York and Pennsylvania."

"My God," simultaneously said Nora and the announcer.  _This isn't happening. Not Now. Not-_ She was cut from her train of thought as the alarms blare. Shooting straight up from the couch, she looked out the window in horror.  _It's happening..._

She dialed the number to the Veterans Hall. Nothing. No call.  _Dammit._

Nora dialed again. No answer.

"No! No, Goddammit! Let me get through," she shouted. Her breathing grew quicker at each call going to voicemail.  _Damn. They probably left. _ As if the blaring from outside couldn't get any louder. She ran on down to the front of her house. Neighbors in disbelief, along with children who wept at the confusion around them, and the parents who consoled them. Shaun as well cried at all the commotion. Nora wanted to sob right there at the catastrophe she was both hearing and seeing. 

_Get to the vault. _ Gripping onto the infant. She sprinted toward the direction of military personals order. Maneuvering her way in the crowd, she was facing front with a guard. What just passed by her was the salesman, who was shouting frantically.

"This is hopeless! I deserved to get in!"

Nora confronted the straight-faced man who asked of her presence. 

"I'm on the list! Nora Velasquez, and my infant brother," shouted from the young adult. The cries of the protestors were trying to silence her out. The army man looked through the papers and identified her as the pre-selected family. 

"No male," questioned the man.

"Ummm, he's not here... as of now," Nora answered. 

"Doesn't matter. Get in here already, and move where the others are at. We can't have... hold-ups," said the man in a serious tone as he grabbed out of the crowd. Nora was shocked at the forceful tug from the man, as she felt a bruise to be coming soon from her arm. Once inside the barrier, she started making her way to the platform.

_Dad. Please... get here. I need you. I need... someone. _ Looking down at Shuan who's been crying this whole time, she realized that... this might be all that she has. 

"Shaun," Nora called out with tears in her eyes. "It's going to be okay. It's going to be..." Okay? It wasn't okay. At least, that's what the dropping of the bomb insisted. 

The dramatic blast of the bomb overshadowed her comment as it came racing towards her, and the group of people. The chill from her goosebumps was no match for the growing heat that swept its way toward them. As they ascended down toward the vault, silent gasps as they witness the nuclear strike.

Nora went silent from there. 

A bittersweet welcome by the Vault Staff. The picking of her vault suit. The clinging feeling it enwrapped her with felt tight, just like her chest. Walking along with her neighbors. The man they followed, giving them an informative understanding of the vault. No objection or questions on behalf of the dwellers as they all walked along in shuddering silence. Maybe still shell shocked at what happened. So, no complaint from them as they climbed upon these decontaminated chambers. 

Nora kept holding onto Shaun once they activated them. With her eyes closed, she transcended into the darkness with a bit of white that covered her surroundings. Everything went numb from there.

"Manual override initiated. Cryogenic stasis dispended," the intercom said. 

Slowly, Nora opened her eyes to a chilling environment that was around her. She felt heavy. Her head weighed a lot more then she remembered. The jitters of a sleeping limb were all over her body.

"This is the one. Here."

_Who said that _ Nora groggily thought. She couldn't make out the figure with the foggy view. 

"Open it," said a more masculine voice.

And with that, her pod went wide open. Shaun started to cry out in her arms. Coughing at her chapped throat, she looked at the people around her. 

"Is it over? Are we okay?" 

"Almost. Everything is going to be fine," said the odd-looking man.

The lady in the hazmat suit reached out toward Shaun with her arms.

"Come here... Come here, baby...," the lady cooed. 

"No," Nora insisted as her grip on Shaun became tighter. The lady started to pry more forcefully to get Shaun.

"No. No, wait! I've got him," shouted Nora as the lady wouldn't give.

Her aching body was no match, as the lady dragged her down to the floor, and took Shuan from her arms. 

"Please, don't do this," Nora cried out. She tried to get up.

A click was heard, and Nora looked back to see the man with a weapon drawn at her. 

"Let the boy go," the man darkly said. He watched as Nora went wide-eyed at his holster. He grinned at that.

"Get back in your vault." He motioned his gun toward her chamber. "I'm only gonna tell you once," said the man menacingly. Aiming the gun right back at her, Nora complied. Slowly creeping herself back in, one of the hazmat people pushed the button to close the pod. 

_Oh god. That wasn't Vault-Tec. _ She trembled at her predicament that was all too confusing on what just happened. Her eyes followed the man as he gestured them out. Her breathing quicken as he gave her one last look from the glass.

"At least we still have the backup..."

She cried at that. 

"Cryogenic stasis reinitialized," the intercom said. 

Nora closed her eyes tight at that. She felt the cool dance around on her skin as she succumbed to another forceful sleep.

An alarm blare rang from the distance as it only grew louder by the second. Nora awoke in shock. She coughed and gasped at how tight her lungs felt during the cryostasis.

"Critical failure in Cryogenic Array. All Vault residents must vacate immediately."

Her pod open, and down she went again to the floor. Another coughing fit as she musters all the air she can gather in her lungs. Once stabilized, she got up from the floor to get an idea of her surroundings. 

"What... happened?" Nora stiffly walked to the other pods to see her neighbors still inside. Pushing the button didn't work, so she tried pounding on the glass. Though, by the fifth tap of the glass, she only then realized why they weren't waking up.

"Oh no," gasped Nora. She clasped her hands to her mouth at this realization. 

"Dead? Every one of them?"

She walked on over to the other room to find the others in the same state. _ I can't believe it. Why would... Wait! _ It then hit Nora like a Red Rocket. 

"Oh my god. Th-Those people!" 

She gasped as the memory came back to her.  _That was real? They did this, they must've. They took Shaun. Vault-Tec wouldn't do that right? _ In one of the rooms, she found a terminal. Looking at the files made her mouth drop.

_They froze me? Vault-Tec put me in that state? For a science experiment?!? _ Reading through the entries had answered some of her questions. Though, they weren't anything, but somber. 

"I can't believe this shit," exclaimed Nora. Moving toward the next room, she stopped dead at her tracks at a moving specimen by the window. What she looked was something horrifying. A roach... a giant one! As it skittered away, Nora's heart thumped quicker.

_Giant Roaches? What the hell... _

Grabbing the police baton, she kept on walking. Except, more cautiously. If this what she was gonna be dealing with, then at least she's prepared with the baton. Going through a couple of rooms she spotted one of them. 

Grabbing a heavy object, she threw it at the insect. It got crushed, and it spewed its guts. Gross. 

"Aw, how sickening." She shivered at the idea of having to deal with another roach. Well, that is what has been happening for the past couple of minutes. This time, one of them got her fleeing back to the cryopod rooms. Every crunch and squish left her dry heaving in the corner. Her baton was slick and icky from the constant smashing bugs. Eventually, she found a pistol and a couple of dead skeletal figures.

_What happened here? _ Whisking her baton to the other side of the room, she picked up the gun. Unfamiliar with its use it'll do for now.

She managed to get it to shoot, so that's good. Until, she ran out, and had to resort to stomping on the roaches. Finding her way around the vault, she found the exit. 

"Is there like a key or something," she asked herself out loud. Coming over to the compartments, she noticed an item on the floor. Carefully, slipping it off from the skeleton's arm what she had in her hands was a Pipboy. 

Messing with it, she notices that the input can fit one of the machine's output. Once she got it connected, a few button presses and the vault door began opening. 

"Better keep this on," Nora said as she strapped the Pipboy to her left arm. As the alarms were blaring, she recalled an earlier thought.

_What is even going to be up there?_

Nora swallowed at that thought. For safety measures, she went back and took the stimpaks on the desk. Grabbing a first aid kit, she hauled it on her right arm with the pistol in her left. 

_What if this isn't enough? Am I even capable?_

Each step she took, her heartbeat increased. As she was on the platform, Nora felt the anticipation awaiting what to expect on top. Never did she consider what was in store for her when she laid her eyes on the world.

She screamed. 

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a review, and any mistake that should be corrected.


End file.
